'Prankster' Chris Bocklet Keeps Virginia Balanced

Very few personalities in sports elicit the same response from everyone that comes into contact with them, but Virginia senior Chris Bocklet appears to be one of those characters.

“He’s got a pretty unique personality. He is very easy going, very easy to talk to, and always relaxed.” explained older brother Matt in a phone interview Wednesday.

Teammate and roommate Rob Fortunato described Bocklet as having, “a feel-good mentality that really reflects his personality. His free spirit adds to his game...He’s always loose and he doesn't get rattled.”

“The neatest thing about Chris is that he comes back every day with a smile on his face,” Virginia associate head coach Marc Van Arsdale said. “His personality might hide that he is a pretty fierce player on the field and outstanding groundball attackman. He has a fire in him for the sport that comes out more as joy than anger.”

That joy for lacrosse began for Chris as a little boy, joining a team in grade school and following in the footsteps of his older brothers Mike and Matt. “I started playing on a team in third grade, but I had a stick in my hand really early on.” Chris explained, regarding his sports choices growing up. “My brothers were baseball players that turned to lacrosse, and I always wanted to do what they did.”

Matt Bocklet, who played college lacrosse at Fairfield and Johns Hopkins, remembers their childhood similarly. “I was a year younger than our older brother Mike, so I got to compete with him. Chris was younger, but he was always there. He was always playing and working on his own. It has definitely helped him become the player he is today.”

After a stellar career at John Jay High School highlighted by 218 goals, 132 assists, and two All-American team selections, Chris prepared to take his place on a perennially attack-stacked University of Virginia squad.

Virginia was always the place for Chris, who described the University with enthusiasm stating, “Everyone I talked to that went there loved it. It had a beautiful campus and the coaches had great personalities. [On one visit] I got to see a basketball game where Virginia beat Duke on a buzzer-beater...the place seemed magical. As soon as the coaches said they wanted me, I was there. I was the first to commit in the class.”

Bocklet’s career did not start immediately upon arriving on grounds. Chris only played in 11 games his first year, scoring just four goals and notching one assist, but he gained an incredible amount of experience learning from former stand outs Danny Glading and Garrett Billings.

“I came here knowing there were two All-Americans at Virginia [in Glading and Billings],” Bocklet explained. “I especially watched Garrett Billings play. He played that right wing, which is a spot I find myself most comfortable in.”

The time Chris spent as an understudy of Billings’s play became evident this season as he passed Garrett (125 career goals) for sixth place on the UVa all-time goal scoring list, now sitting just five short of Ben Rubeor’s mark of 136 goals.

“I think it was the best thing that ever happened to him.” stated Matt Bocklet. “He sat for a year and got to learn from some of Virginia’s best players of all time. For the first time in his life he had some sense of doubt...he realized it takes more to play than just being talented.”

Chris Bocklet exploded on the scene his second year, notching an incredible 53 goals and 14 assists, making him the only player other than Doug Knight (1994-97) in Virginia history to score 50 or more goals in a season. He continued his abundance of scoring his third year, hitting the 100 career goals mark while carrying an active goal-scoring streak of 35 straight games into the NCAA Championship game, earning himself a repeat spot on the All-American Honorable Mention team (2010-2011).

Bocklet attributes several things to his ascent in lacrosse, from coaching to the skilled teammates that surround him, saying, “It’s a special thing. Coach Van Arsdale’s offense does a good job of putting players in the right spot. It ends up where I’m in the spot where I can get the shot off. Being the off-ball guy, cutting, I get those shots. I’m not the one carrying the ball like Steele (Stanwick), but everyone has their parts and everyone’s part means the same.”

Virginia’s offensive coordinator, Van Arsdale, appreciates having a dynamic player like Bocklet in his arsenal.

“It’s always nice to have a so-called star player that doesn’t have to have the ball in his stick. Chris is perfectly comfortable working without it, which allows you to do things with a lot of ball movement.” Van Arsdale said via phone last Thursday. “Ultimately, when we are getting to the big stage and freelancing, knowing Chris is a guy that can find those holes allows it to not be so set.”

Excellent off-ball movement has become a trademark for Chris, making him a disaster to cover for in-game matchups.

Senior goalie Rob Fortunato, a class-mate of Bocklet’s, tried to break down Chris’s playing style. “One of the things you wont see on film is how Chris approaches the game. Overall he is a funny guy, a prankster, a trickster. He doesn't do the same thing twice and that definitely plays into the game. It’s hard for opposing teams that are trying to scout him...his personality plays into it. You have no idea where he’s going on the field.” Fortunato continued, laughing, “He’s sneaky...that’s the word I’m looking for. He’s a sneaky guy [on the field].”

“Not always knowing what he’s going to next helps him on the field.” Van Arsdale said. “He has a knack for getting open. Chris deserves a lot of credit for helping Steele Stanwick.”

Stanwick and Bocklet have become a force over their four years at Virginia together, working off of what seems like some sort of unspoken connection, something one commentator described as ‘ESP’. Each player knows where the other is at all times; Stanwick the quarterback and Bocklet the precise finisher.

Through his time as a Cavalier, Bocklet has become the perfect teammate, bringing a mixture of dedication, hard work, and a positive attitude to the field day in and day out, something he has learned from both coach Dom Starsia and coach Van Arsdale.

“People on the team make every day a joy and easy to go out and practice. My class is a group of guys that is close together. We have a great bunch of personalities. It’s the same with all 43 guys on the team.” Bocklet commented. “You’re not just teammates, but friends on and off the field.”

While the Cavalier squad are friends year round, many avoid Bocklet on one specific day of the year. “I do a lot of pranks.” Chris laughed. “April Fool’s Day became my day. I put crickets in a guy’s apartment one year. This year, I woke up on April First to a ‘surrender’ text. All the guys in my house locked their doors. I like to have fun, and try to make everything positive.”

Although lacrosse takes up most of his time, Bocklet is a self-proclaimed music enthusiast, enjoying concerts and even dabbling in karaoke.

“We have been roommates for two years now, and his parents gave him a karaoke machine...we have fun.” Fortunato explained, amid laughter. “He likes ‘Baby Got Back‘ by Sir Mix-A-Lot, and he likes the higher pitch country songs that really fit him.”

As it turns out, Karaoke has not been Bocklet’s only foray into the performing world.

“I love to perform. I love having the spotlight. My mom would sign me up for all these things. In third grade there was a dance studio that had 250 girls and 3 guys, including me.” Bocklet revealed. “I was the Tin Man in a backyard play with all the kids from the neighborhood who were actually stars in the high school plays. I was the Tin Man one year, and then they gave me Albert from ‘Bye Bye Birdie’ with a ton of lines, so that was a big deal. I even had my own song. I messed up my lines, and they had to start the whole thing over. Sadly that was the end of my acting career.”

Fortunately for Bocklet, his lacrosse skills panned out a lot better than his acting chops, allowing him to be picked in the Major League Lacrosse draft. He was traded this offseason and will get to play for the Denver Outlaws, where older brother Matt is a two-time All-Star defender.

Bocklet and his 10-3 Cavaliers look to repeat as National Champions this year, hoping to turn a two-game losing skid around this weekend in Denver in the Whitman’s® Sampler® Mile High Classic. Virginia will face Penn, whose assistant coach is none other than the former Wahoo, Doug Knight. Bocklet knows in order to hoist the Championship Trophy once more on Memorial Day, his team will have to hunker down and expect a tough journey the rest of the way. “Sometimes you think you have it, and it slips away.” He stated. “It will take 100% effort on everyone’s part.”

Although sometimes overlooked when it comes to season awards, Bocklet brings a breath of fresh air into the sport of lacrosse, combining hard work with his individuality that makes him a pleasure to have on any team. So whether you are enjoying Chris’s ringback tone of Des’ree’s "You Gotta Be," setting up a weekend snowboarding trip, or hitting the field for some extra shooting practice, just sit back and enjoy the ride.

“He’s the kind of person that everyone enjoys being around.” Matt Bocklet explained succinctly. “He can make light of any situation or conversation. He is definitely someone I think people would like to meet if they ever have the opportunity.”